What is the weirdest/grossest/most disturbing thing seen by emergency room staff? Do you ever find it difficult not to faint?

The craziest thing that I have ever seen happened during my clinical rotation in the ER at a major NYC hospital.  It was early in the evening and things were beyond busy.  It was busy enough that students were delegated to do many tasks that we normally would not do.  I was thrilled because, as a student nurse, I was rarely given the opportunity to do anything autonomously.   The nurse manager brought me into a room where a 40-something year old man, looking malnourished and unhygienic, was sprawled out on the bed.   He needed an IV and I was given permission to insert it!  It was my first time.  I gathered all necessary equipment and my manager and I headed into the room when suddenly the alarm went off.  There was a code in the bed down the hall.  My nurse manager went running and I was left, needle in hand, to place the IV.   It wasn't until this moment that I noticed the bruising and collapsed veins spanning both patient's arms.  He was a drug addict.  There was absolutely no chance with my novice skills that I was going to be able to do this IV.  I wasn't comfortable trying.  The man sensed my dismay.  Before I could ask him to be patient until my manager returned, he grabbed the needle and, without looking, inserted it into a vein near his collar bone.  It was seamless.  Absolutely on-target.  It was, to this day, the most monumentous is thing I have ever witnessed.

Read other related questions on Quora:

• What are some of the most bizarre, unusual, embarrassing or hilarious injuries and incidents seen by emergency room staff?
• What is the most important thing in emergency first response?
• What is the weirdest and most unusual thing medical staff have experienced in the hospital?

Read more answers on Quora.

from Quora http://ift.tt/2gKdu0r